US1812483A - Folding table and bench - Google Patents

Description

June 30, 1931. c, w, HORTON 1,812,483

FOLDING TABLE AND BENCH Filed Sept. 26, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l )nuenTor Charles W HorToh E5- Mm mm Aiiomg;

C. W. HORTON FOLDING TABLE AND BENCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 30, 1931.

Filed Sept. 26, 1927 IIIUGI'ITOI' Charles W Hem-Ton Ma rbaa.

Affomelg June 30, 1931. c. w. HORTON FOLDING TABLE AND BENCH Filed Sept. 26 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet ljgenTor Charles. \J. Horton IIIIIIIIIIIIIM Patented June 30, 1931 warren srai CH ARLES W. HORTGN, GRAIFD EAFZBS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGI-l'fll't, BY MESNE ASSIGN i -MENTS, 'IO J H1? E. STRONG, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN FOLDING: TABLE AND BENCH This invention relates to a folding table with seats combined therewith and is more particularly concerned with various improvements to be used in connection with the combined folding table and seats invented by John E. Strong having Patent No. 1,646,939, issued October 25, 1927.

It is an object and purpose of the present invention to provide a mounting for the fold- 1- ing table or the same with seats combined therewith so that the same may be received in a wall recess or pocket, or may be mounted upon the inner side of a door which closes a a closet, provision being made for the elevation of the inner support for the table and seats when the same are folded to collapsed position, thereby lifting the same above the usual bottom board at the lower end of such wall recessor closet, but automatically lowering the same so as'to rest upon the floor when in operative position. This insures a ready folding of the combined table and seats irrespective of rugs or other floor coverings which may be used and which, if provision was not made for the automatic elevation described,

would interfere with the folding of the structure into collapsed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple means for effecting this automa-tic elevation and lowering with the folding and unfolding movements of the table and to'associate therewith a counterbalance spring which will insure against accidental dropping of the table to its lower horizontal position when it has been turned upwardly to folded and retracted position.

. A still further object of the invention is to provide a construction whereby the table and the seats in conjunction therewith may be folded into a wall recess or closet so as to be entirely received therein, when in inoperative position yet in which the seats, when in use,

' Y are located entirely outside of said recess, use

being made of offset hinges in connecting the seat supports to the table supports for this purpose.

Various other objects and purposes will appear on understanding of the invention had as from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away and shown in section, illustrating the combined table and seats in their outer operative position, the same being shown in conjunction with a wall receiving pocket therefor.

2 is a similar perspective view of the table'folded into said pocket and with one of the seats folded against the underside of the table and within the recess, the other being in unfolded position. i

' Fig. 3 is a vertical section enlarged through the construction with the table in its folded retracted position.

Fig. 4 is a similar section showing the table and seats in outer unfolded operative position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section similar to that shown. in Fig. 4, but illustrating the mechanism in greater detail.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section throughthe construction shown in the position that it has in Fig. 2. I i

Fig. 7 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 6 with the table and seats in outer operative horizontal position, and, i

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front elevation, the

table and one of the seats being shown in transverse vertical section illustrating the rear table support and the manner in which it is mounted for vertical adjustment.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawings.

The wall recess or pocket in which the table and seats are folded may be conveniently provided between vertical studding l, which make the vertical sides of the pocket,

there being a back 2, an'upper end 3 and right angles so as to bear against the inner sides ofthe studding 1 to which they are per manently secured by means of screws. One

of the bars 6, as shown inrFig. 3, is located a short distance above the bottom 1, while the other bar 6 is considerably higher. Each of the bars 6 are provided near each end with a V forwardly extending headed'pin 8. The upper bard atitsupper portion and on its front side is also formed with'two forwardly extending lugs 9, one adjacent each end of the bar. we

The rear support for the table comprises a frame of 'rectangular shape including upper and wer ra ls 10 nd 1 resp i ely, connected at their ends by vertical sides 12.

Two angle members 18 are secured to each of'tfhe railslO and 11 respectively; The upper angles 13 have horizontal legs passed under eath he upper M which 'en upwardly and lie again t the fr f e of theupper bar 6. The lower angle plates 18 horizontal legsext ndi g Over th pp zedgeof the lower rail'll and vertical legs which extend downwardly and lie against the,

front side of the low rb r'fi- Th is fully shown "in Fig- 8; The horizontal legs of the angle mem er-S7 13 arefformed i h. ve i slots :14 t rough Whi h the headed pi s-8 p s 1 It is evident, therefore,that the inner or rear support for the t ble i moun ed upon-the (bars fi oithat it may have l mit d vertic sliding movementwithin the limits prescribed by theislots 1, and the eaded p ns Spa- S g -he e hrough Thetahle-15, ofa width was received between the sides of the wall pocket or recess,

edge 'of'the' upper rail 10 of 'the rear support s i may he turned t a ver i al position,

a horizontal position as showninjlligskl A leen 15, is hingedly oormec e l t it 1 P r end'. 9. the unde side; of the t ble tov fihsfll ifir 'endlqf S id fiable. From the lan ' IT-9 he teale115 two lugs .17 extend lying in the-same verticalplane with and irectly. above the, lugs 9 p ev ously d scr b V Whenth ta le 1 1 s turned-from l l r zo talposition, sho i Eigs. 44 and 5, to the radi a position, sho n in F g -,2 nd ;,cth

' lug rfl r d aga nst h -uppe e s, o h lugs 9 anc cause a lift ng f t einn r supporting frame comprising par s .19., "11 and '12,;so that it and anything .connectedthere- .v with is lifted a limited distance, but-:wihen thetable is :turned downwardly to horizontal position, the lugs 17-"also' being turned to horizontalposition, theltaiblefanc l this support-therefor drop downwardly-undep the infiuence' of their weightor until the lower endo-f said support-either engages with the iiurre side r t boa e ril -real: e -t surports (as are later descrihedfeng'age against "turned to vertical position act to maintain and hold the table in such position against acoidental dropping down and also has some effect in rendering upward movement of the table easier. 7 I

T he supporting'legs 16 at its lower end has oppositely projecting feet 20. One leaf of a hinge 21 is-rigidly secured to the outer end of each of said feet 20. Similarly one leaf of each of two hinges 21 isrigidly secured to the outeredge of each of the sides '12 of the inner or rear support for the table. A rear seat sup-porting member 22 is connected to the other leaves of the pair of hinges 21 attached to said sides 12. An outer seat sup-porting member 23- is connected "at its lower end to the other leaf of each of the front hinges 21, as best shown in Fig. 1. The leaves of the hinges 21, which are connected to the feet-20, 'and tothe sides112, as described, are longer 'than the leaves which are conneeted to the seat supports 22 "and 23,. A seat 24-ishingedly connected to the upper end of ea'c-h'pairof seat supports 22 and 28, thelseats being connected adjacent their inner ends to the seat F supports 22 and adjacent their outerends to the supports 23. As illustrated there are two of theseats 241', one on each side of the table,

but it is evident that the invention is operative should one of the seats, itssupports and their 2 connecting hinges the removed.

As thus constru' ted, the table may occupy a horizontal'position, as shown'in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, the seats occupying a lower horizontal position at each side of the table. The inner seat supporting members 22 are turned outwardly from the inner table support and lie outside of the recess or wall pocketin front of the sides of the border '5. The lower ends of said supports 22 rest on the floor. This-is e 7 possible by'reason of the ofiset of the seat supporting members 22 from the support for the inner end of the table on account of the hinges used, permitting the inner table support to remain within the wall pocket or re .cess while j the seat sup-porting members 22 are located outside thereof. I

7 When the table with its seats is to befolded I within th recess or pocket the table is gripped at its outer end and turned upwardly. As

this-occurs, as previouslyd scribed, the l F151.

17mg upon the upper edges of the lugs9, elevating e n e MMQSMPPOW and, asthe se t suppor ing m ber 2. are c nnected the et a o eleva ing th m so; tha the, sea supporting members 22 v are lifted from the position shown in Fig. 5, where they rest upon the floor, to a position above the upper side of the board 4. By reason of the connection of the leg 16 with the outer seat supporting members 23 the seats are also turned to vertical position simultaneously with the movement of the table to vertical position, so

that the seats and their supports at the end of the first movement of folding and retracting the same are like as shown at the left in Fig. 2. Each seat 24 with its supports may then be turned inwardly to come against the under side of the table as shown at the right in Fig. 2, and by reason of the elevation of the lower ends of the seat supporting members 22 above the board 4 of the wall pocket or recess the inward folding may be readily and easily accomplished. Also by reason of the difference in length of the hinge members making up the hinges 21 the seats and supports may be readily inwardly folded, this being best illustrated at the upper end of Fig. 6.

While the invention has been illustrated in connection with a Wall pocket or recess, it is evident that it may be used for mounting the table and seats upon the rear side of a closet door. The mounting of the tableupon the rear side of the door will be substantially identical with the mounting of the same in the closet. That is, it will be mounted on the door to have a limited vertical movement whereby the inner support for the table and the inner or rear seat supports attached thereto are elevated when the table and seats are folded against the door, thus providing the necessary elevation of the same above the usual bottom board for a wall recess or closet so that the door may be readily closed and also taking care of the possibility of rugs being located on the floor over which the door and the table and seats attached thereto must swing when the door is opened. The invention is no different in its construction and the purposes which it has when mounted either in a wall pocket or recess, as illustrated, or on the inner side of a closet door.

This invention is very practical and has provedespecially useful in service. The wall recess or pocket in many respects simulates a wall panel and the room presents a balanced and effective appearance when the table and seats are folded into the pocket substantially filling the same. The unfolding and lowering of the table and seats to lowered position is very simple, requiring merely that the upper end of the table be grasped, drawn outwardly and turned to lower position after the seats have been turned outwardly.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. In combination, a vertical support, a table supporting member, means for mounting said table supporting member on said vertical support for limited vertical movement, a table having hinged connection adjacent one end to said member for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, a leg hinged to the under side of said table toward its other end, means projecting rearwardly from the hinged end of said table and means on said vertical support cooperating therewith When the table-is swung from vertical to horizontal position to permit lowering of said table supporting member and when the table is swung from horizontal to vertical position to elevate said supporting member.

2. In combination, a vertical support, a table supporting member, means for mount-- ing said table supporting member on said vertical support for limited vertical movements, a table hinged at one end to said member for swinging movements from horizontal to vertical position and vice versa, a leg hinged to the under side of the table for su porting the outer end thereof when the tab e is in horizontal posit-ion, lugs extending horizontally toward said vertical support from the inner end of the table and cooperating lugs extending outward from said support for engagement by the first mentioned lugs, and acting to elevate the table supporting member when the table is swung from horizontal to vertical position.

3. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 2, combined with coiled springs attached at one end to said lugs on the table and extending back of and attached to said table supporting member at their opposite ends, substantially as described.

4. In combination, a vertical support, two horizontal bars attached to said support one above the other, the uppermost of said bars having lugs projecting forwardly therefrom, a table supporting member located immediately in front of said bars, means for mounting said table supporting member on said bars for limited vertical movements, a table hinged adjacent its inner end to said table supporting member to swing on a horizontal axis, lugs projecting from the inner end of the table and lying directly over the lugs on said upper horizontal bar, whereby on movement of the table from horizontal to vertical position said lugs on the table bear against said lugs on the bar and automatically elevate the table supporting member a short distance, and means for supporting the outer end of the table when it is turned to horizontal position.

5. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 4, combined with coiled springs attached one to each of the lugs extending from the table, said springs extending downwardly back of the table sup porting member, and means connecting said springsnt their lower. ends to saiditable Sup porting member.

V In. ico nblna tiong a VGItiCal support, two horizontal bars securedto said support,- one spaced at distance above the/ 01311811, headed pins. extendi ng forwardly "from said bars, a table supporting member lo cated immediately in front of the bars, angle plates attached.

tothe-table supporting member, each having id 21; vert-ical leg with a, Vertical slot out therethrough, "said headed .pins passing through said slots, antab'le hinged adjacent its inner end: to the, table supporting member'to swing from, vertical to a horizontal positionfand vic'eversa, andeooperating means at the inner end. O-f said table andion the uppermost of said horizontal bars aptingto automatically elevate the table supporting member when thetable is swung from horizontal to vertical P siti n; t i

'In testimony whereof 'I' affix my signatnre.

CHARLES W. HORTON.

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